Case study: Spin-out
Railwhere
Transforming the future of rail freight through data driven innovation
Transforming the future of rail freight through data driven innovation
Railwhere provides advanced digital tools that help rail freight operators plan, optimise and run services more efficiently. The platform models complex rail networks, analyses fuel and carbon performance, and supports operators in making faster, smarter decisions, enabling delivery of more goods at lower cost and with reduced emissions
Developed over seven years of collaborative research, Railwhere’s technology is already reshaping how freight moves across the UK rail network.
The UK freight sector is under increasing pressure to move goods more efficiently, cost‑effectively and with lower environmental impact. Freight operators must optimise routing, fuel use and carbon emissions while responding to rising demand for sustainable logistics.
Rail freight offers a more sustainable alternative to road transportation. However, before Railwhere, operators lacked intuitive, data‑driven tools capable of modelling complex rail networks and planning optimal train loads to support a sector shift from road to rail. Reliance on paper-based Freight Load Books made planning time-consuming and limited its scope, making it difficult to produce data to nform sustainability initiatives. The industry needed technology that could deliver rapid, accurate insights and enable smarter operational decisions.
Researchers at the University of Hull’s Logistics Institute, working with Lampada Digital Solutions and industry partners including Network Rail and Freightline, spent seven years developing advanced software to address these challenges. Their work focused on:
This research led to the creation of Railwhere, a dedicated spin‑out company launched in 2025 to bring the technology to market.
Enabling rapid decision-making through its user-friendly interface by embedding real-time route modelling and carbon efficiency analysis, Railwhere’s technology is already delivering measurable benefits.
Railwhere delivered the Digital Freight system, integrated to the Railwhere platform, to Network Rail in a multi-year tender with a value exceeding £1million. This system was recently singled out by the Network Rail Chief Executive, Jeremy Westlake, as an example of new initiatives that are improving safety and efficiency in rail freight. Railfreight.com, Dec 2025
Freightliner used Railwhere to redesign the movement of quarried stone from the Mendips to Greater London – reducing journey times, cutting fuel use and lowering emissions. Longer, more efficient trains can now move more goods over fewer days, freeing up network capacity and improving resource allocation.
Railwhere’s work has been celebrated nationally, winning multiple Rail Freight Group Awards and being shortlisted for the 2025 Hull & East Yorkshire Business Awards – Team of the Year just six months after becoming a stand‑alone company.
The spin‑out strengthens the UK’s rail freight ecosystem while contributing to regional economic development and showcasing the University of Hull’s leadership in sustainable logistics innovation.
Railwhere’s cutting-edge software simplifies complex data, simulates rail journeys, and provides vital insights for the UK rail industry.
The team are now engaging directly with clients to provide access to their off-the-shelf intuitive software as well as developing customised tools and bespoke analysis packages that respond to specific business requirements.
Our software has proved its value and is now seen to be of strategic importance by our customers. Railwhere will build on its successes and partnerships and contribute to a stronger and greener rail network.Barrie Louw
Director, Railwhere
Railwhere’s Director, Barrie Louw brings long‑standing expertise in logistics, digital modelling and sustainable transport. Having steered multiple partnership projects to success in the University of Hull’s Logisitcs Institute, his leadership of the Railwhere spin‑out reflects a long-standing commitment to translating research into real‑world innovation and impact.
