SNC-Lavalin triumphs again at Railway Challenge
A team of nine graduate engineers from SNC-Lavalin has won the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Railway Challenge, for the second year in a row.
It is the third time the company has won the annual competition, which is now in its fifth year. This year’s event took place at Stapleford Miniature Railway, Leicestershire, from June 29-July 2, with 12 teams taking part to design and manufacture the most innovative, efficient and quietest small-scale locomotive.
The competition included a series of track-based and presentation challenges, including the production of an academic paper. Locomotives had to be designed to work on a 10¼in narrow gauge railway and be powerful enough to transport a 600kg load, including one of the Railway Challenge judges.
David Westcough, team leader for SNC-Lavalin Rail & Transit, said: “We are delighted that we’ve been able to retain the crown as overall winners. Our hard work has paid off, and we are particularly pleased with our performance in the Reliability, Noise, Ride Comfort and Design challenges.
“Taking part in the Railway Challenge has allowed us to put our imagination and resourcefulness to the test, and given us the hands-on experience of what’s needed to make a locomotive from start to finish.
“The SNC-Lavalin locomotive was dedicated to Hannah Bladon, the daughter of company employee Max Bladon, who died in Jerusalem earlier this year.”
Prof Simon Iwnicki, who chairs the Railway Challenge Organising Committee, said: “We would like to congratulate SNC-Lavalin Rail & Transit for an impressive win in this year’s competition against a record number of competitors.
“The judges were impressed with the calibre of design and innovation of all the team’s locomotives, which included the competition’s first ever compressed air piston locomotive from the University of Brunel.
“We were also delighted to host the competition’s first ever non-UK entry, from Germany’s FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences. We’re looking forward to even more innovations next year.”
The Railway Challenge is sponsored by RSSB, Railway Industry Association and Wabtec Faiveley UK. The full list of organisations with competing teams was: Alstom UK, Birmingham University, Bombardier/ Derby University, Brunel University, FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences, Huddersfield University, Manchester Metropolitan University, Sheffield University, SNC-Lavalin, Southampton University, TfL, WMG/Warwick University.