Railway Challenge is a prestigious competition organized annually by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) in England. It takes place on the Stapleford Miniature Railway track, and this year’s edition was held on June 26–29, 2025. The competition is aimed at student teams and industry apprentices tasked with designing and building a miniature locomotive operating on a 10¼-inch gauge track, capable of competing in a series of technical and presentation challenges.
Among the participants was once again the PUTrain team, formed by members of the Student Scientific Association of Public Transport Engineers. For years, the Poznan University of Technology team has proudly represented the university in these competitions, regularly presenting new and increasingly advanced designs.
This year, PUTrain unveiled an entirely new battery-electric locomotive, designed and built in just one year. The most important innovation was placing the driver inside the vehicle, which posed numerous design challenges—both in terms of construction and in ergonomics and safety.
The tremendous effort and commitment of the students resulted in spectacular success—PUTrain returned to Poland with three trophies:
- Victory in the Ride-on Locomotive category – for the best-designed driver’s workspace in terms of safety and functionality.
- Victory in the Aerodynamic Drag Challenge – the jury praised the professionally prepared aerodynamic report, the only one to include analysis both with the driver inside and without.
- Victory in the Traction Challenge – the PUTrain locomotive demonstrated the best acceleration from a standstill while pulling a load.
There were also achievements in the presentation events. The Business Case Presentation, consisting of two stages—an online presentation and a live pitch before the jury—brought PUTrain to the finals, giving the team the opportunity to showcase their project before all participating teams and industry experts. The students had to prove that their locomotive was the best choice in terms of cost, ergonomics, safety, and environmental impact.
The team is not slowing down—they are already planning further development of the vehicle and preparations for future editions of the competition, as well as participation in events organised both at Poznan University of Technology and beyond. These are excellent opportunities to showcase their design, share the story behind its creation, and even take visitors for a ride!
Student Scientific Association of Public Transport Engineers
