1. Overview

Each student can choose one of the following two topics.

1. System design, or

2. Operation Data Analytics

(You only need to do one. Submitting reports for each of the two would not help in your marks)

2. Topic description

2.1 System Design

The Lecture 8 will give an example of systems thinking for engineering designs in the example of station development. The workshop at Session 10 would provide an opportunity to further develop your project. The details of the project are shown on Moodle.

2.2 Operation Analysis

In the Lecture 4, each student will learn how to analyse the railway operation data. In this stream, the student will use the data of Wales Main Line (but in the same data format).

Imagine that you are a consultant. Network Rail (Wales) or a train operating company serving the area is your client. Now, within Wales Suburban Service Improvement project, your client is interested in following issues.

· (Variation of) train run times between stations.

· Train delays and prediction/forecasting

· (These two are just examples and there may be some other points of interest, which could be used for the planning of the new Wales Suburban Service.)   

In your project, you focus on a specific problem/issue that may be important. This would include.

• Demonstrate the overall picture by data (analysis)

• Develop a hypothesis or viewpoint (for example, dwell time would change according to the time of the day).

• Analyse the problem according to your hypothesis.

• Discuss your analysis results.

Each student will take responsibility in formulation of the project, whilst we can assist this. Additional data can be provided on request. We plan to have a separate tutorial session in Lecture 10 where a subject tutor is available. You can consult with them.

3. Outputs

Each student will produce a report with 1500 words that addresses the question above. Figures, tables, references are outside this word limit.

Submission deadline: 17.00 (UK time) of Friday 17 January 2025

Submission: Via Moodle

4. Evaluation Criteria

· Clarity of your presentation. The quality of any drawings, graphs, and diagrams used in the presentation.

· Originality and depth of your thinking. A presentation which just summarises existing work, reports or other people’s opinions would not attract high marks (this criterion carries a high weight)

· How you support your arguments (reference, existing evidence, calculation)

· The extent to which the wider contexts is considered.

· The extent to which you critically examine the facts and existing work.

5. Finally

If you have any question, feel free to put a question on Module Discussion Forum or directly email to Taku.

Usually I will run some extra tutorial sessions over Christmas break. This academic year, it would take place

· 3.00pm of Fri 20 Dec

· 3.00pm of Friday 03 Jan

· 2.00pm of Thu 09 Jan

· (all the timings are tbc). Online attendance is possible if booked in advance