Helping The UK Rail Network Save £345m Per Year

We supported The Imagination Factory with a bespoke container conversion designed to house specialist rail test equipment for an industry-led research project addressing low-adhesion risks on the UK rail network.

The converted container provided a secure, transportable environment for a microwave-based track treatment system developed as part of a programme sponsored by the Rail Safety and Standards Board.

The Customer

The Imagination Factory is a West London–based product design and innovation studio delivering technically complex solutions across a wide range of industries. The team works on a variety of design challenges, including a microwave-based system developed to target third-layer rail contamination, more commonly known as “leaves on the line”. Combining engineering expertise with creative problem-solving, The Imagination Factory specialises in turning innovative concepts into practical, deployable solutions for real-world applications. 

The Challenge

One of our latest container conversions is being used to house test equipment for a project sponsored by the RSSB (Rail Safety and Standards Board) called Predictable and Optimised Braking.

The project aims to demonstrate the innovative microwave based track treatment system that may overcome the perennial Autumnal timetable issues brought about by the ‘Leaves on The Line’.

Leaf-fall season creates low adhesion risks across the UK Rail network, costing the industry and wider society approximately £345m per annum.

Bright yellow converted shipping container raised on steel support stands, featuring shuttered windows and an access ladder in the background, used as a specialist test and inspection unit at an industrial facility.

What The Imagination Factory Had to Say

Matt, Design Consultant at The Imagination Factory, commented, “Thank you to S Jones Containers for a great design and build service to create a custom home for this specialised test rig that we can use both statically on custom stands and dynamically on a test railway track.”

Yellow containerised test unit mounted on a rail wagon and connected to a green industrial generator, demonstrating a mobile container conversion for testing, power supply and transport applications.

Need a Secure, Purpose-Built Space for Testing or Trial Equipment?

We design and deliver bespoke containerised solutions for housing test rigs, monitoring equipment, and specialist systems across infrastructure and engineering projects. Engineered for durability, access, and deployment flexibility, our container conversions support safe, controlled testing at both trial sites and operational locations.

Learn more about our container conversion capabilities or contact us today to discuss your project.