Bridget Eickhoff | |
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| Born | 1956 (age 68–69) |
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Bridget Mary Eickhoff CEng FIMechE FREng MBE (born 1956) [1] is a chartered engineer working in the field of railway engineering, within the United Kingdom. As of 2025 [update] she was principal infrastructure engineer at the Rail Safety and Standards Board, [2] covering rail transport in Great Britain.
Bridget Eickhoff started studying at New Hall College, Cambridge in 1974 [3] [4] and graduated with a degree in mathematics [5] from the University of Cambridge in 1977. She joined the British Rail Research Division working in engineering. [5] Following the Privatisation of British Rail, Eickhoff continued working for what became AEA Technology, under Cliff Perry. [5] In 2008, she joined the Rail Safety and Standards Board.
During 2012‒2013 Eickhoff was Chair of the Railway Division of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. [5] Eickhoff acts as operational controller for Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) Railway Challenge for university students, held at the Stapleford Miniature Railway each year. [6] [7]
In November 2016 Eickhoff lead the annual IMechE Young Members Railway Technical Tour to visit railway facilities in Germany. [8] In 2019 Eickhoff lead the Railway Technical Tour on a visit to Austria, Switzerland and the Czech Republic. [9]
Eickhoff's inaugural lecture at the University of Birmingham was held on 5 December 2018, titled Minding the gap: how to improve boarding and alighting from trains. [10]
In December 2019, Eickhoff gave the final Permanent Way Institution London Section talk to be held at 55 Broadway, on the subject of Gauging historic infrastructure for the 21st century. [11]
A paper by Eickhoff et al. was awarded the George Stephenson Gold Medal by the IMechE in 2016. [12] [5] [3]
Eickhoff was awarded the James Clayton Prize by the IMechE in 2017. [13] Herbert Walker Swift, an great-uncle of Eickhoff, had previously also won the James Clayton Prize in 1952. [13] [14]
During 2019 Eickhoff was made a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering. [15]
In the 2025 Birthday Honours Eickhoff was made a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) with a citation of "for services to railway engineering". [16] [17] [18] [2] [19] [3] [4] [20]
Eickhoff's partner is Felix Schmid, Professor emeritus of railway engineering. [21]
InterCity 250 Vehicle/Track working party … calculation of Kinematic Envelopes.
b 1956
Bridget Eickhoff … Rail Safety and Standards Board … principal infrastructure engineer, has received an MBE for her services to railway engineering. … developing computer software to aid understanding of rail vehicle dynamics, … reduce the risk of derailment.
Professor Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell - Companion of Honour … Broadcaster Claudia Winkleman … Karen Addington … CEO of Breakthrough T1D UK … Anna Shiel … Chief Investment Officer of Better Society Capital … Professor Bridget Eickhoff … over 20 years, Bridget has played a key role in IMechE's Railway Division, including serving as Chair of the Railway Division in 2012‒2013, … Honorary Professor at Birmingham in 2018, … visiting lecturer on the MSc programme in Railway Systems Engineering at the University of Sheffield in 1995. … railway postgraduate programmes … at the University of Birmingham. … the practical weekend in Wirksworth, … PG Cert in Urban Railway Engineering (Singapore). … October 2019, Bridget was made a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineers.
Murray Edwards … Karen Addington MBE (1984) … Jocelyn Bell Burnell FRS FRSE CH DBE (1965) … Bridget Eickhoff FREng MBE (1974) … Anna Shiel MBE (1997) … Claudia Winkleman MBE (1990)
joined British Rail Research as a graduate entrant to the Vehicle Dynamics section … degree in Maths … worked as a Mechanical Engineer ever since. … stayed with British Rail Research and its successor companies through privatisation until I joined the Rail Safety & Standards Board (RSSB) in 2008. … Chairman of the Railway Division of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. … encouraged by British Rail Research, … took the route of demonstrating relevant experience to become a member of the IMechE and a Chartered Engineer. … Chairman is a voluntary role, taking between one and two days a week, … RSSB supported me during my year from 2012—2013. … awarded the IMechE George Stephenson Gold Medal for a paper … former boss, Cliff Perry, who I worked for when he was Managing Director of AEA Technology Rail,
Stapleford Miniature Railway … station with various sidings and a turnaround triangle. … an 800-metre single line runs down a 1-in-80 gradient to a 1.2km balloon loop. … Bridget Eickhoff of RSSB, as the IMechE's operational controller, had the job of ensuring the challenge ran smoothly.
Richard Coleby, … [FSMR] provides a rescue locomotive, and a guard on each train. … all train movements are controlled by an FSMR controller who only accepts requests for movements from the Railway Challenge's operational controller, Bridget Eickhoff. Her role includes changing the operational plan as required, for example in the event of a locomotive failing or not being ready in time. … new turntable with 12 track spurs, and passive provision for another four. These will have hardstanding with each … to accommodate two locomotives … is expected to be operational for next year's [2024] Railway Challenge.
Institution encourages its younger members, and has done since at least 1928, is by organising the Annual Technical Tour … November [2016] tour … annual technical tour … to Germany … Harz Mountain Railway … production facilities at Alstom and Siemens … railway test centres of DB Systemtechnik and Siemens; … Wuppertal – the suspension railway and trolleybus networks; … heavy freight railway … tour of Antwerp Station … wheelset works of Bochumer Verein … Alstom manufacturing site at Salzgitter … Siemens site at Krefeld … RWE Power … sponsored by Angel Trains … IMechE, Felix Schmid and Bridget Eickhoff for a very organised tour, and Great Western Railway for supporting us on this trip.
diesjährigen Railway Technical Tour besuchte die Railway Division der Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) das TSA-Hauptquartier in Wiener Neudorf. … diesjährigen Tour durch Tschechien, Österreich und die Schweiz unter der Leitung von Gianluca Bush (Eversholt UK Rails Group), Bridget Eickhoff (Rail Safety and Standards Board, UK) und Felix Schmid (University of Birmingham), welche die stattliche Gruppe führten
5 December 2018, 17:30 - 18:30
historic one for the London Section … last Section meeting at 55 Broadway … designed by Charles Holden … headquarters for the Underground Electric Railways Company of London
four year project, valued at around €5.3m under the EU's 2nd Call of the 7th Framework Programme, dealing with key railway interoperability issues in vehicle dynamics and vehicle-track interaction
the family connection: "The James Clayton Prize was awarded to my great-uncle, Professor Herbert Walker Swift (1894‒1960), in 1952. He was a professor of mechanical engineering at Sheffield University …"
30 years in British Rail Research and its successors, she is Principal Infrastructure Engineer with RSSB
Merlita Bryan … first African Caribbean woman to become Sheriff of Nottingham, … former lord mayor of the city. … Nottinghamshire recipients … Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) … Prof Bridget Eickhoff - Rail Safety and Standards Board, for services to railway engineering
two Past Presidents of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers — Peter Flinn and Giles Hartill — and former Trustee Bridget Eickhoff have been awarded MBEs … Bridget … is currently a Principal Infrastructure Engineer at the Rail Safety and Standards Board. … [IMechE] Trustee Board in 2021, Bridget has served as Chair of the Railway Division and is actively involved in the Railway Challenge competition for young engineers.
Professor Rachel K. O'Reilly, the University of Birmingham's Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research), has been awarded an MBE for Services to Chemistry … Professor in Anaesthesia, Critical Care and Pain, Fang Gao, has been awarded an OBE for Services for Anaesthesia. … Former laboratory manager at the Collaborative Teaching Laboratory, Aruna Mistry has been awarded the British Empire Medal for services to education, … Bridget Eickhoff, Honorary Professor of Railway Interface Engineering received an MBE for services to railway engineering.
Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) … Bridget Mary Eickhoff MBE CEng FIMechE … Principal Infrastructure Engineer, Rail Safety and Standards Board. For services to Railway Engineering
Born in Switzerland, he studied Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Zürich, before moving to the UK to join GEC Traction in 1978. … Felix is a regular judge for the IMechE Railway Challenge and, with partner Bridget Eickhoff, organises the Institution's annual Technical Tour. … chair of the IMechE Railway Division for 2020/21 … appointed Professor emeritus of Railway Systems Engineering at the Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education.