Rail Fellowship award presentation

13 January 2026:

Universal Signalling staff visited the Houses of Parliament on Tuesday 13 January for an afternoon reception at the invite of the Rt. Hon. Catherine Atkinson, MP for Derby North.

There, they had the honour of presenting the Rt. Hon. Baggy Shanker, MP for Derby South, an award as part of the RIA Rail Fellowship Programme. Baggy visited the Universal Signalling headquarters back in October to learn more about our company and future plans.

Pictured left at the event are (L-R) Railway Industry Association Chief Executive Darren Caplan; Universal Signalling Product Director, Mark Beeson; the Rt. Hon. Baggy Shanker MP, and Universal Signalling Chief Innovation Officer, Sam Bemment.

Green Signals releases special feature on Universal Signalling

12 December 2025:

Green Signals, the UK's leading independent railway podcast and blog with over 20,000 channel subscribers, has produced a special edition featuring the trial U-Cross installation Universal Signalling have recently completed on the Heart of Wales line, working with Network Rail and Transport for Wales. Green Signals' regular format is a 1-hour, weekly podcast of issues pertinent to the GB and cross-channel railway, with a special editions produced for events of significant note which would better suit a deeper dive.

We were delighted to host Richard Bowker CBE on site for an evening during our trial to create one of these special editions, and we are very happy with the result. As we said to Richard afterwards: we don't think we could have explained it better ourselves.

You can view the teaser as part of episode 114 here:

Green Signals Episode 114

The full, detailed episode is available here:

Green Signals: Railway Signalling in Days not Decades?

Enjoy!

Universal Signalling featured in supplier case study

05 December 2025:

Universal Signalling has been featured in a case-study produced by one of our suppliers - QNX, a division of BlackBerry Limited.

QNX provide safe and secure operating systems, hypervisors, middleware, solutions, and development tools, along with support and services. QNX technology has been deployed in the world’s most critical embedded systems, including more than 255 million vehicles on the road today. QNX software is trusted across industries including automotive, medical devices, industrial controls, robotics, and commercial vehicles, in addition to rail.

Universal Signalling have leveraged QNX's strong pedigree throughout it's recent U-Locate and U-Cross trials on the Heart of Wales line.

You can learn more at qnx.com, or click here to read the case study.

Heart of Wales mainline trial successfully delivered

26 November 2025:

Universal Signalling, working with colleagues from Network Rail and Transport for Wales, has successfully completed the trial fitment and evaluation of it's U-Cross User-Worked Crossing protection system on the Heart of Wales line.

Network Rail’s trial of Universal Signalling’s ‘U-Cross’ system marks a significant step forward in delivering next-generation, safer signalling to rural railway lines across Britain.

Developed by Universal Signalling and first demonstrated at the Global Centre for Rail Excellence in Onllwyn, South Wales, in 2024, the technology has already been recognised as a potential game-changer for the rail industry.

The system provides signallers with real-time information on the precise location of trains, enabling quicker, safer decision-making at user-worked level crossings - used daily by farmers, landowners and rural communities.

The challenge

User-worked crossings are common on rural lines and require users to contact the signaller by telephone before crossing. While current processes are safe, signallers often rely on train-location information drawn from several different sources, which can result in delays for people waiting to cross.

‘U-Cross’ addresses this challenge by delivering real-time, enhanced situational awareness directly to the signaller - including exactly how many minutes are available to cross safely before the next train arrives - enabling faster, safer decision-making.

Solutions of this kind traditionally take years to develop and can be costly, but the combined efforts of Universal Signalling, Network Rail Wales & Borders and Transport for Wales - co-funded by the Innovation Acceleration Forum - enabled this trial to be delivered quickly and effectively.

How the UK-first mainline trial worked

The two-week trial (3 - 14 November) took place on an 11-mile section of the Heart of Wales line between Llandeilo and Llandovery, covering 20 user-worked crossings. As part of the trial:

The track was fitted with U-Beacon Universal Locator Beacons, visible as green discs attached to the sleepers through Llandovery Station.
In-service Transport for Wales trains were fitted with readers and communications equipment.
Trains automatically transmitted their position to the signaller when approaching or clearing a crossing.
The systems in-built health and performance monitoring capability collected more than 400,000 data points for the team to analyse.

Thanks to the system’s rapid installation capability, the entire 11-mile stretch was fitted in just two and a half overnight line blocks, with no prior line side design work required - demonstrating the substantial efficiency and cost benefits for future signalling renewals and upgrades, as well as the advanced safety protection for level crossing users.

The next phase will look to extend the technology across the full 96-mile Heart of Wales line, which has 126 crossings, before exploring opportunities on other rural rail routes across the UK.

Anthony Aldred, Operations Manager, Network Rail Wales and Borders said, “Managing access to the railway at user-worked crossings is a key part of keeping our network safe for the people and communities who rely on it. In rural areas, where signallers rely on information from multiple sources, U-Cross gives them a clear, instant view of train locations and visual confirmation of whether a crossing is safe to use, while defaulting to established procedures if a fault is detected.

“This product has real potential to further strengthen safety and reduce delays for users and it has been incredibly valuable to support this project.

“We’re proud to be part of this UK-first trial as we work with Universal Signalling and our industry partners to explore how it could benefit more locations across the network.”

Stephen Head, Chief Executive Officer at Universal Signalling said, “U-Cross is the first stepping stone towards our vision for next-generation digital signalling that’s affordable for rural lines. What truly sets this apart is the speed of deployment, which drives down cost to the railway.

“We’ve automated and productionised as much of the process as possible, stripping out much of the cost base. Fitting 11 miles of track in just two and a half overnight possessions, with no prior design work, shows what’s possible with our system.

“It’s been a delight working with the Wales & Borders teams, and the support from Transport for Wales has been fantastic. Feedback from this trial and analysis of the data collected will inform refinements ahead of the next phase.”

Network Rail is proactively adopting innovative technologies to enhance the passenger experience, strengthen safety and deliver smarter, more cost-effective ways of running the railway.

The full press release and associated media is available from Network Rail at this link.

Universal Signalling interviewed for Rail Director Signalling Special

25 November 2025:

Universal Signalling's Dr Sam Bemment has been interviewed for the November edition of Rail Director Magazine, which is a spotlight on signalling special edition.

Rail Director is a high-end, industry-leading, printed magazine that is delivered directly to rail influencers, key decision-makers and government officials. Covering the latest national and international news, along with the views of industry leaders, it is read by up to 15,000 sector professionals online every month.

The magazine can be accessed online at this link.

New non-executive director appointment and leadership changes

04 November 2025:

Following an investment in Universal Signalling earlier in the year, Olivier Garrigue is to join the board as a non-executive director.

Olivier is a senior executive with over 30 years of international management and leadership experience across a number of industry sectors. He has a particular focus and interest on growth and development, having operated as a hands on senior manager with extensive functional experience including M&A, Strategy, Finance & Financing, Restructuring, Marketing, Operations Management and Complex Project Management and Delivery.

Olivier has a track record of successful transaction completion and delivery of small and large-scale change projects across a wide spectrum of companies, ranging from start ups to large multinational corporations. He will be a familiar face to those in Rail, having served as the Chairman & CEO of XEIAD - a group of civil engineering consultants specialising in difficult access inspections - for over a decade. The whole team extend a warm welcome to Olivier and we look forward to working closely with him.

Further, Stephen Head, former Chief Operating Officer, will move to become the company's new Chief Executive Officer from November 2025. Dr Sam Bemment, who has led the company since founding it in 2022, is moving to become the company's new Chief Innovation Officer (CIO). This is a long-planned move to place Sam and Stephen where their strengths can best serve the company. Sam will remain the 'ideas engine': leading a meaningful R,D&I programme, tailored to client pain points, the output of which the wider tech team can translate into products and services. Stephen, with an executive MBA, will liaise with our newly-formed board, ensuring best value for our investors, and managing the emerging corporate and financial compliance requirements.

First in-service runs complete

25 October 2025:

Following our first infrastructure installation, this week has now seen the completion of the first in-service runs of our prototype onboard fitment. Our two onboard units ran on several Class 150's in revenue service with Transport for Wales on the Heart of Wales line, from Wednesday 22 October onwards.

Supported by staff from Transport for Wales, the first runs were conducted to verify the infrastructure installation carried out earlier in the week, with our engineers riding on board to monitor system performance.

Verification has now been completed, with end-to-end performance as expected ahead of a range of system demonstrations to be conducted throughout early November.

First mainline installation complete

24 October 2025:

This week has seen the completion of our first mainline system installation.

Supported by staff from Network Rail Wales and Borders we deployed 770 of our U-Beacon universal locator beacons on 17.6km of mainline track, all the way from Llandeilo to Llandovery stations. The installation was carried out in 3 overnight line blocks, with plenty of time to spare. We achieved a peak rate of 1.5km per hour - verifying our early cost and time assumptions. This is despite not yet having optimised our installation process - which it still largely manual. Beacons were affixed to concrete, wood, and composite sleepers, and a steel bridge deck.

In a change to normal railway practice, there was zero design work ahead of arriving at site. This served to eliminate the major portion of project costs. Instead, an as-built design record was generated in real-time by our proprietary automated survey trolley as the install progressed. Verification will be performed by in-service trains, saving further time and cost.

Network Rail Trial Product Acceptance achieved

16 October 2025:

Universal Signalling's U-Positioning system and U-Beacons have both received trial Product Acceptance certification from Network Rail this week.

This certificate allows fitment and use of our system, in shadow mode, for a stretch of the Heart of Wales line between Llandeilo and Llandovery stations.

Thanks to all the team at Network Rail for their support and for making it all very smooth. Anyone that has been through the process will appreciate the attention to detail and amount of effort that goes in - on both sides of the fence - to ensure that products are compatible and safe for use on the operational railway.

Office opening celebration

09 October 2025:

Universal Signalling welcomed the Rt Hon. Baggy Shanker, MP for Derby South, to its new office at the Rail Technical Centre in Derby this week. The visit took place as part of the Railway Industry Association’s (RIA) Rail Fellowship Programme.

Baggy Shanker MP joined the Universal Signalling team to officially open the office in Derby and to gain insight into the company’s work and future plans.

Commenting on the visit, Baggy Shanker MP said: “SMEs have a hugely important role to play in generating jobs in our communities and boosting our local economies. It was a pleasure to visit Universal Signalling’s new office and learn more about their efforts to drive forwards rail innovation, helping to secure long term benefits for Derby, and across the supply chain.”

Dr Sam Bemment, Chief Executive of Universal Signalling, said: “I’m delighted that Baggy Shanker MP joined us to celebrate the occasion, both to formally cut the ribbon and to hear more about our plans for growth. Following the visit, we continue our work ahead of our first heavy-rail trial with Network Rail Wales and Borders, which will be delivered during Q4.”

Martin Little, Business Engagement Manager, RIA Midlands & Eastern, said: “It is always positive for parliamentarians to better understand the important role of SMEs in driving innovation across the rail supply chain. Baggy is a great champion of Derby railway businesses, both new and old.”

Universal Signalling to exhibit and present at RIA SigEx '25

02 October 2025:

We are happy to announce that alongside exhibiting, Universal Signalling’s CEO Sam Bemment will be speaking at RIA SigEx at York Racecourse on 23 October 2025. SigEx is the UK’s premier domestic signalling exhibition and has become a staple of the industry calendar. Sam will be sharing insights into the company’s pioneering mainline work, funded through Network Rail’s Innovation Acceleration Forum and sponsored by Wales route.

The Innovation Acceleration Forum has played a key role in enabling USL to move quickly to market, solving some of the infrastructure owner’s pain points as specified in challenge statements

Speaking ahead of the event, Sam Bemment said:

"We’re excited to showcase how far we have come in the last year working alongside colleagues from Network Rail - both from central functions, and in the routes and regions. We’ll have the latest iterations of our technology on the stand, and I am thankful of being offered the fantastic opportunity to do a short talk on the main stage about our latest trials.”

RIA SigEx is a signalling-specific event that brings together industry leaders, engineers, and policymakers for a day of informative talks, exhibition browsing time, and networking.

The event is free to attend and open to all, though places are limited and RIA state that registration is mandatory for catering purposes. Please, please do register for catering purposes, so that we don’t have to re-live the couscous-gate incident of 2024. If you were there, we're sorry to remind you of the trauma.

For more information or to register, please visit this page.

Universal Signalling joins The Open Signalling Initiative

18 September 2025:

Universal Signalling has been accepted as a partner in The Open Signaling Initiative - a movement reshaping how rail signalling systems are built and maintained. With openness at its core, the open signalling initiative unlocks innovation, flexibility, and long-term sustainability.

The open signalling initiative is redefining how rail and metro signalling systems are developed, deployed, and maintained.

Signalling systems are today delivered as closed systems that make customers dependent on the supplier for decades. When support and maintenance agreements expire, it is not uncommon that the whole system needs to be replaced, at high costs and with long service interruptions. Open signalling changes this paradigm entirely.

Inspired by the modularity and flexibility of earlier relay-based systems, and by open systems in domains such as IT/ICT, open signalling reintroduces freedom and adaptability into modern rail and metro signalling. It promotes open, modular, and interoperable architectures where independent components from different suppliers can seamlessly work together.

Other well-known members of the group include Amey and Schneider Electric.

We will be attending the group's annual conference in Stockholm, Sweden, on 01 October 2025 and will be delighted to discuss our product offerings there.

System testing at Ecclesbourne

17 September 2025:

The team have had a fantastic few days out at the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway, end-to-end testing all of our prototype kit ahead of our first Network Rail trial fitment. We made a total of 60 test runs on the second day.

A beautifully restored Class 122 Diesel Railcar performed flawlessly as the test mule, with a bit of a Heath Robinson wooden arrangement enabling us to pretend it was a Class 153 or 158.

The only thing that didn't go to plan was the weather. It remained dry and sunny most of the day, meaning wet testing had to be conducted with water borrowed from the River Ecclesbourne! We know that none of the team originally signed up expecting to be squelching around on muddy riverbanks but, of course, it is all part of the fun of innovating in an SME!

A new HQ!

10 September 2025:

After signing a lease at the end of August, we have now moved into our new office in Derby. Until now we had operated as a fully remote company. However, with a growing headcount, material stockpile, and customer base, we have decided that now is the right time to pin our flag on the map.

Derby has, of course, long been the home of the British rail industry, with many nationally and internationally renowned companies clustered around the Pride Park and London road areas. We are joining them in Kelvin House on the RTC Business park on London Road, just 10 minutes walk from the station (and 12 from the Brunswick!)

Our building, and the wider site, is steeped in history as the old home of the British Rail Research Division who, amongst other feats of engineering led the development of Solid State Interlockings (SSI). At the time of its deployment, SSI was ground-breaking, with its use of voting processors as a method of replacing thousands of hard-wired relays. It became a huge success at home, an export success story, and still keeps a large portion of the GB network safe every day.

Our building will be familiar to many signalling engineers as we share it with the very well regarded Signet Solutions. Signet have helped to train generations of signalling engineers in all manner of signalling engineering, who have gone on to ensure the continued safety of rail travel all over the globe.

Our new address is:

G40, Kelvin House, RTC Business Park, London Road, Derby, DE24 8UP, United Kingdom.

Universal Signalling closes second tranche of pre-seed round with full allotment sold

28 August 2025:

Universal Signalling is proud to announce the successful close of the second tranche of its pre-seed investment round, with the round now fully subscribed. This marks a significant milestone in the company’s early-stage growth, showing strong investor confidence in its mission to revolutionise digital signalling, and the team assembled to enable it.

The second tranche close was anchored by the Southern Angel Investors Club (SAIC), a respected network of early-stage investors known for backing high-potential technology ventures across the UK, alongside several high net-worth individuals with extensive experience in the UK and overseas rail industry.

“We’re thrilled to have Southern Angels anchor this tranche and to see the full allotment taken up so quickly,” said Sam Bemment, Founder and CEO of Universal Signalling. “This is a strong vote of confidence in our vision and the team’s ability to execute on our business plan. The funds raised will enable us to execute that plan: concurrently accelerating our R&D efforts around future product lines, whilst continuing to move early systems to market with our key light and heavy rail partners. When compared with some other industries, it is rare that this type of investment comes into rail, and even rarer for it to be into a company which is operating in the safety and operationally critical space. I would therefore like to add my thanks to our new partners for this vote of confidence in our team.”

The second tranche follows a successful first close earlier this year, which saw participation from a mix of angel investors and early-stage venture funds. With the full pre-seed round now completed, Universal Signalling is well-positioned to expand its technical team and prepare for commercial deployments with early adopters.

“We were impressed by Universal Signalling’s technical depth and the clarity of their vision,” said Philip Day of SAIC. “Their refreshing approach to solving fundamental market challenges is both ambitious and timely, and we’re excited to support their journey from concept to commercialisation.”

The company will soon be onboarding new engineering talent and is already in discussions with several industry players for collaborative development and testing. A seed round is anticipated mid-late 2026, with interest already building among institutional investors.

Universal Signalling Ltd certified by 'Made In Britain'

11 August 2025:

Universal Signalling have today passed an audit by the owners of the 'Made In Britain' logo, opposite.

The audit examined both Universal Signalling's production and value chains, with a threshold of 80% British content required to entitle the use of the 'Made in Britain' logo and branding on packaging and marketing material.

Having spent significant effort seeking out British companies in order to establish a reliable and quality assured on-shore supply chain for the first British installations of our technology, the Universal Signalling team were delighted to exceed the minimum threshold by a significant amount.

Universal Signalling Ltd integrates TSL®/HID products

05 July 2025:

Universal Signalling Ltd, a UK-based scale-up radically reducing the deployment time and cost of railway digital signalling products, has established a supply agreement with Technology Solutions UK Ltd (TSL), a division of HID, a global leader in trusted identity and access control solutions.

TSL® is a leading manufacturer of high-performance mobile RFID readers, used to identify and track products, assets, data or personnel. For over two decades, TSL® has delivered innovative data capture solutions to major companies all around the world using a global network of distributors and system integrators. Specialist in-house teams design all aspects of the finished products and software ecosystems, including electronics, firmware, application development tools and RF design. This agreement will see TSL’s cutting-edge, high performance and energy efficient UHF RAIN RFID reader modules fully integrated into USL’s technology stack.

Mark Beeson, Product Director at Universal Signalling, commented: “Our company ethos is to use Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) hardware wherever possible, keeping deployment costs low for the client, accelerating time-to-market, and enabling us to lean on the relevant expertise and experience in the wider supply chain rather than reinventing the wheel.

“We have been working closely with TSL since Q3 2024. They have been extremely helpful, supporting us to establish the performance parameters of our architecture in the harsh rail environment, and helping us to integrate their modules into our end products. The performance of our technology stack, including TSL components, has now been verified in the field, and as a result we are excited to formally commit to making these excellent products part of our own going forwards.”

Bertrand Saillet, VP Hardware Engineering & TSL Product Segment at HID Global, added: “The Universal Signalling team first visited us at the TSL factory in 2024. That meeting helped us to understand the novel architectural proposition, high performance requirements, and harsh conditions on the railway, particularly with regard to EMC. Since then we have enjoyed being able to support the Universal Signalling team through their development and testing activities, so it is very exciting for them to now confirm our products will be integrated into all future system deployments. This is our first product application in railway signalling, and we look forward to a long and productive relationship.”

The full technology stack, including TSL modules, will be deployed in Universal Signalling’s first heavy-rail trial upon Network Rail infrastructure, which is now provisionally scheduled for Q3 2025 in South Wales.

About HID

HID powers the trusted identities of the world’s people, places and things. We make it possible for people to transact safely, work productively and travel freely. Our trusted identity solutions give people convenient access to physical and digital places and connect things that can be identified, verified and tracked digitally. Millions of people around the world use HID’s products and services to navigate their everyday lives, and billions of things are connected through HID’s technology. We work with governments, educational institutions, hospitals, financial institutions, industrial businesses and some of the most innovative companies on the planet. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, HID has over 4,500 employees worldwide and operates international offices that support more than 100 countries. HID is an ASSA ABLOY Group brand. For more information, visit www.hidglobal.com.

Universal Signalling welcomes two new interns

30 June 2025:

Universal Signalling is pleased to announce the addition of two new interns, Dominic Hawes and Alexander Chan, to its growing team. The internships reflect the company’s desire to give back to the industry by providing an opportunity for those seeking a career in rail to experience life at a cutting-edge, innovative SME.

“We’re delighted to welcome Dom and Alex to the team,” said Dr. Nick Wright, CTO of Universal Signalling. “Their fresh perspectives, enthusiasm, and diverse skill sets will be invaluable as we continue to grow our capabilities and deliver on our vision for the future of railway signalling. Taking on two interns is a large commitment for a growing SME such as ours, but all the staff here agree it is important to help nurture and develop the next generation of engineering talent.”

Dominic is an Engineering Design (MEng) student at the University of Bristol with growing experience in railway signalling. Through summer placements and a year in industry in engineering consultancy, he has gained experience across railway operations, rolling stock and railway signalling. While he has strived to gain a broad grounding in railway engineering, he has started to develop specific expertise in the design, assurance, and implementation of digital signalling. Dominic has also achieved an Advanced Diploma in Railway Control Engineering from the Institution of Railway Signal Engineers.

Alexander is a second year Electrical and Railway Engineering student studying at the University of Birmingham. He will be bringing his enthusiasm to the Universal Signalling team, developing his industrial experience of software development, electronics, and research in a safety critical railway environment. Outside of his studies, Alex enjoys mentoring secondary school pupils and volunteering as a train steward on mainline rail tours.

Dominic and Alexander will experience a mix of day-to-day activities of the team, as well as completing individual projects steered by the more experienced universal signalling engineers, which are vital to the timely success of USL’s market entry.

Founded in 2022, Universal Signalling is on a mission to reduce the deployment time and cost of digital signalling through a unique blend of technology, operating model, and open interface specification. Earlier in 2025, the company’s team delivered their first commercial light-rail installation, with a heavy-rail trial to follow later in the year.

The internship programme is part of Universal Signalling’s broader commitment to developing the next generation of railway engineers and innovators. Dom and Alex will be working closely with the engineering and operations teams on live projects, gaining hands-on experience in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment, as well as being given challenging individual projects to complete.

Coventry install complete as VLR track opens for public demonstrations

02 June 2025:

Universal Signalling returned to the Coventry City Centre VLR demonstration site today, for a safety and performance verification exercise on the final track alignment. This marks the completion of the infrastructure installation, which was commissioned by Colas Rail and Coventry City Council in late March. Public demonstration runs of track and tram begin later this week, during which the Universal Signalling system will collect real-world performance and operational data.

Network Rail Innovation Acceleration Forum announces Universal Signalling trial sponsored by Wales and Borders route

19 May 2025:

Representatives from Network Rail, including Western, Wales & Borders, and the Innovation Acceleration Forum, announced today that funding for a mainline trial of Universal Signalling technology had been agreed after a demonstration visit to BCIMO in Dudley. The visitors saw Universal Signalling's unique hardware and software in action at the test track, including driving the Bance battery vehicle fitted with prototype US onboard.

The trial is supported by Network Rail's Innovation Acceleration Forum (IAF). Susan Millington, Network Rail's Head of Programme Management, and chair of the forum, commented on LinkedIn:

"I had an amazing day yesterday with Sam Bemment and Stephen Head of Universal Signalling where they demonstrated their new innovative signalling solutions for rural lines which will significantly enhance level crossing safety as well as provide enhanced traffic detection - all at a very affordable price(...) The Innovation Acceleration Forum I chair has agreed to support a trial to see the potential of these new products and how they will potentially serve a new era for railway signalling in the future."

The trial will be sponsored by Nick Millington MBE FREng, Wales and Borders Route Director, who added that he was pleased to be championing trials of new technology in the route. Signalling support will be provided by Joshua Robinson, Route Engineer (Signalling), who also commented on LinkedIn:

"Great visit to BCIMO in Dudley today to see Universal Signalling in action. It was impressive to see the system deployed in a live environment, offering a glimpse into how we can deliver safe, temporary signalling control without the need for traditional infrastructure. The potential applications are exciting – especially when considering the safety and time savings Universal Signalling could offer. Thanks to the team for the detailed demo and insightful conversations around integration, assurance, and future use cases. This kind of innovation could play a big role in how we approach flexibility and safety on the railway. Looking forward to seeing how it develops."

Full details of the trial scope, location and dates will be announced in due course.

Universal Signalling announces licence collaboration with QNX for enabling technologies

14 April 2025:

Universal Signalling, a UK-based scale-up developing a revolutionary line of low-cost and ultra fast-to-deploy railway signalling products, is pleased to announce a strategic licensing collaboration with QNX. This collaboration will harness the cutting-edge reliability and security of QNX® software to underpin the safety-critical functions provided by Universal Signalling’s product suite.

QNX provides trusted foundational software solutions for safety-critical applications, serving industries such as automotive, industrial automation, and transport. When matched with the state-of-the-art, off-the-shelf safety processors, the QNX® technology stack is fully certifiable as part of a SIL-4 system. QNX is renowned for its industry-leading real-time operating system, designed to meet the highest safety standards required for mission-critical applications. By collaborating with QNX, Universal Signalling aims to integrate proven best-in-class foundational software solutions with commercial, off-the-shelf safety hardware, and their own, patent-pending protection algorithms.

Sam Bemment, CEO of Universal Signalling, commented on the collaboration: “Safety and reliability are at the heart of everything the railway signalling industry does. Universal Signalling’s key product differentiators, low-cost and massively reduced implementation time, can only be achieved by integrating proven solutions from key industry providers. We are excited to have formalised our relationship with QNX, as it represents a significant step towards capturing market share by delivering our best-in-class signalling solutions. We are confident this collaboration will drive innovation and help shape the future of rail operations, worldwide.”

“This collaboration is incredibly exciting for us,” said João Pereira, Director, EMEA General Embedded Market at QNX. “We have seen early demonstrations of Universal Signalling’s technology and regard their product line as incredibly innovative. It is critical for the rail industry to innovate in this way if it is to drive down the costs of construction and operations. QNX’s real-time operating system is perfectly designed for applications such as those proposed by Universal Signalling’s systems.”

QNX technology underpinned two successful recent product demonstrations performed by Universal Signalling at the Global Centre of Rail Excellence in south Wales, in December 2024 and March 2025.

For more information on QNX products and services, please visit qnx.com

SFC Capital leads close of first tranche of pre-seed investment round in Universal Signalling

08 April 2025:

Universal Signalling has successfully closed the first tranche of its pre-seed investment round. SFC Capital led the round, with additional funding provided by a group of business angels. This milestone not only highlights investor confidence in Universal Signalling’s founders and technology portfolio, with its potential to fundamentally change the cost and efficiency of rail worldwide, but also its strong go-to-market strategy.

Universal Signalling was founded in 2022 by three engineers with wide experience in rail technology and operations. Dr Sam Bemment, Dr Nick Wright, and Stephen Head MBA all shared a frustration at how existing products, with decade-long deployment times, were stifling rail’s potential to underpin decarbonisation efforts and boost social inclusion. Universal Signalling’s products will dramatically reduce design and deployment time to days, saving the taxpayer money, and providing benefits to clients – and the travelling public – much sooner than alternative approaches.

This investment will accelerate Universal Signalling’s next-generation technology development and deployment, supporting rapid infrastructure modernisation efforts while reducing costs. With the backing of SFC Capital—one of the UK’s most active early-stage investors—the company is well placed to advance its proprietary technology and extend its reach to global transport networks.

Stephen Head MBA, Chief Operating Officer of Universal Signalling, and Universal Signalling’s investment lead, commented:

"Securing this investment is a key milestone for Universal Signalling. Our technology is designed to set new standards for speed, cost, and reliability in railway signalling, and having the support of SFC Capital and our angel investors validates our vision. This funding will allow us to scale development, bring our solutions to market more swiftly, and continue innovating at the highest level."

Edward Stevenson, Investment Executive at SFC Capital echoed this enthusiasm:

"From the moment we saw Universal Signalling’s business and technology proposition, we knew it had the potential to deliver a significant positive impact on the global railway industry. Their experienced team has demonstrated exceptional technical expertise and a deep understanding of the industry’s challenges, and we are excited to support them in bringing their groundbreaking solutions to operators worldwide."

Universal Signalling remains committed to reducing the cost and deployment time of railway signalling systems. With the first tranche of funding secured, the company looks forward to closing the second tranche in the next 3 months. All funds will be used to accelerate development of safety-critical elements, supporting early commercial deployments.

SFC Capital is the UK’s most active seed-stage investor, providing seed capital and support to promising British startups. By combining their leading investment funds with their angel syndicate, they have created a unique model that provides investors with diversified exposure to high-potential SEIS and EIS-qualifying businesses. Since 2012, SFC has invested in over 450 startups and partnered with the likes of British Business Investments to support innovation across all UK regions. To learn more about what they do and see their portfolio, visit sfccapital.com.

Sam Bemment, Universal Signalling's CEO, announces completion of round to applause at GCRE demo day.

Universal Signalling supporting Colas Rail to deliver Coventry Very Light Rail demonstrator track

24 March 2025:

Universal Signalling is proud to announce their support to Colas Rail on the delivery of a 220-metre demonstrator track for the Coventry Very Light Rail (VLR) concept in Coventry city centre. This innovative project aims to showcase the potential of VLR technology in providing an efficient and sustainable urban transport solution at a much-reduced price point.

The demonstrator track, set to be constructed along Greyfriars Road and Queen Victoria Road, will serve as a crucial step in the ongoing development and testing of the VLR system. The Coventry City Council project is funded by the West Midlands Combined Authority and the UK Government through the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement.

A global leader in light rail, Colas Rail has a long track record in delivering Urban rail schemes to benefit the West Midlands, renewing, upgrading and extending the Tram network on behalf of Transport for West Midlands as the principal contractor of the Midland Metro Alliance since 2016. Colas will be responsible for the construction and installation of the track, with Universal Signalling supporting the installation of their state-of-the-art vehicle protection solutions to ensure the safe and efficient operation of the CVLR vehicle during this trial.

The Coventry Very Light Rail concept aims to revolutionise urban transport by offering a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional light rail systems. The lightweight track design allows for quick and easy installation with minimal disruption to existing utilities, making it an ideal solution for urban environments.

Cllr Jim O’Boyle, cabinet member for jobs, regeneration and climate change said, "We are at a really exciting stage of Very Light Rail in Coventry City Centre. We think it will be a real game changer in terms of how people move around, especially in smaller towns and cities and it will save cash, cut carbon and eventually provide a driverless hop on and hop off autonomous transport solution.

"It will be great to see it in the street scene and for local people to be able to actually ride on it. And of course, there is lots of interest from across the UK and further afield so we are really looking forward to showing everyone how quickly the track can be laid – that really is the clever bit of our system."

Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands and West Midlands Combined Authority chair, said: "This revolutionary Very Light Rail technology, in which the West Midlands is leading the way, will slash costs and accelerate construction times for tram networks – allowing us to better deliver on my vision to connect communities with more affordable and accessible public transport. We are investing millions in this project, and the start of work on this test track shows how close we are to making this a reality."

Mark Beeson, Universal Signalling's Product Director, added: "We are thrilled to be part of this groundbreaking project. Our company ethos perfectly matches Coventry City Council’s vision of providing a fully featured system, but delivered at a much reduced cost base and short timescale via employing cutting edge innovation. This is an exciting opportunity for us to showcase our capabilities in a live operational environment."

The Coventry VLR project is expected to significantly contribute to the city’s efforts to decarbonise transport, tackle climate change, and improve air quality. The successful implementation of the demonstrator track will pave the way for future VLR projects across the UK and beyond. More information on the Coventry VLR On Road Test can be found on the Colas website here.

Universal Signalling achieves Network Rail approved supplier status

10 February 2025:

Universal Signalling Ltd has achieved approved supplier status for Great Britain's national rail infrastructure custodian, Network Rail.

Work led by US's Product Director, Mark Beeson, underpinned a successful financial and policy review by Network Rail procurement staff.

US has been added to the Network Rail Sourcing Platform, known as BravoNR. This means the company is now pre-qualified to bid to supply goods and services under a defined subset of categories.

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