Oluwatamilore Adenipekun, a 4th Year Mechanical Engineering PhD student, secured the Young Researcher Prize at the first of what will be an annual Railway Engineering Institute (RailEI) Yorkshire Section competition for his innovative presentation on dry-ice rail-cleaning systems at the University of Leeds earlier in the month.
Oluwatamilore’s presentation summarised the experimental techniques used to optimise the performance of dry ice blasting, a novel railhead cleaning solution that can be installed on passenger trains. Using a high-speed linear test rig and camera tracking, the study observed and quantified the cleaning process. This research offers significant potential to improve safety, boost customer satisfaction, and reduce costs by finally eliminating the issue of 'leaves on the line.'
The Sheffield postgraduate student secured a £250 prize in a competitive field of researchers from the Universities of Leeds, Sheffield and Huddersfield. Presentations covered the cutting edge of railway research, including using axle boxes to detect track defects, optimising crossing panel resilience, onboard energy storage and use of satellite data for earthworks monitoring.
Oluwatamilore said: “I am honoured to have been selected as a winner by railway industry professionals. It validates my professional growth throughout the course of my PhD and will be a valuable addition to my CV. It also recognises the significant potential impact of this work in making our railways safer.
I would like to thank the staff and volunteers at Wensleydale Heritage Railway for their support throughout the course of this research. I am also grateful for the guidance of my supervisors Professor Roger Lewis, Dr Peter Krier and Dr Luke Buckley-Johnstone and the help from Paul Ferriday from Cryo Technologies and Rob Cummings of Northern Trains.”
Professor of Mechanical Engineering Roger Lewis, said: “Oluwatamilore’s success is a testament to the rigorous, high-impact research being conducted at Sheffield. His work on dry ice cleaning is a brilliant example of how we can apply cutting-edge experimental techniques to solve real-world railway challenges, like the perennial issue of 'leaves on the line.' He is a real asset to our Tribology and Rail Research Group.”
The Railway Engineering Institute (REI), formerly the Permanent Way Institution (PWI), is a professional training body dedicated to upskilling the rail workforce through technical certifications and competency-based programs. They bridge the gap between engineering theory and field practice, focusing on critical areas like track, underlying earthworks and drainage, railway systems and safety standards to ensure infrastructure remains modern and compliant.
