The Crossrail project demonstrates that railway engineering is an innovative and growing area of activity that can provide excellent long-term prospects for varied and technically demanding careers. Here £14.8Bn of infrastructure investment in tunnelling, new stations, electrification, and automated control systems is being topped up with 65 new 200 metre-long trains based at a state of the art maintenance depot with a lifetime vehicle maintenance contract utilising the latest in remote condition monitoring technology.

This talk focuses on Bombardier’s new Class 345 Trains which are to be introduced progressively, on routes crossing London between Reading and Heathrow in the West and Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the East, between 2017 and 2019.

Reading University is located to the south-east of Reading, between the centre and the M4 motorway. The location for this lecture is the Palmer 1.09 Lecture Theatre (identified 26 on the campus map). Catering will be laid out (tea and coffee prior to the lecture and pizza and drinks afterwards) and careers advice will be given in the foyer area directly outside the lecture theatre.

Travel to and from the University

Public Transport: Travelling to Reading University by public transport is relatively easy.  There are frequent bus services from outside Reading railway station, operated by Reading Buses, Route 21 or 21A.

Single tickets costing £1.90 and returns £3.60 may be bought from the bus driver. 

To catch the bus, leave the railway station via the exit on the south side of the station and walk to stop EJ, which is close to where the Railair coaches depart.  Buses are scheduled to depart from this stop to Reading University every 5 minutes until 18.00, then every 15 minutes.

The journey time is approximately 15 - 20 minutes, depending on traffic conditions. Alight at Whiteknights House on the University campus (identified 27 on the campus map). This is the only stop on the campus and is by the sports fields.

Buses back to Reading Station are scheduled to depart from Chancellor’s Way (see campus map) at the following times:

19:39, 19:54, 20:14, 20:34, 20:54, 21:24, 21:53

Alight at the railway station, where you boarded the bus for the outward journey.  At this time of the evening, the journey should take no more than 10-15 minutes.

Driving: If you are driving and want to use a satnav to find your way to the University, the postcode for Whiteknights Campus is RG6 6RU. Use the Shinfield Road entrance and park in Car Parks 2, 3 or 4 (see campus map).

Parking is by permit only up to 17.00, but there are no restrictions after this time.