A fail-safe track switch design developed by Loughborough University will be trialled on the London Underground in 2018, RSSB has announced.

Ricardo Rail will head a consortium comprising Progress Rail, DEG Signal and MPEC Technology to install the first Repoint switch.

By employing multiple actuators, the Repoint track switch is able to continue to operate even if it experiences an actuator failure. The result is a track switch that suffers few failures, requires less maintenance and is cheaper overall.

The switch also uses a ‘lift, hop and drop’ mechanism which allows it to operate significantly quicker than a traditional switch design.

The Repoint project has been funded by RSSB.