IRSE NEWS

The October edition of IRSE NEWS is now available – click here to view it (you will need to log-in).  You can also see all the recent editions on the “Recent Issues” page of the IRSE website. This month’s edition contains articles on:

§  The Virtual Railway Operations Laboratory at TU Braunschweig

§  The evolution of safety practice in railway signalling

§  Will rail be a significant transport provider in years to come?

§  My love of planes, trains and the psychology of human factors

§  Report on the technical visit to the new interlocking in Paris-Gare de Lyon and Operational Control Centre (CCR) in Vigneux

§  Past lives – Eddie Goddard

Presidential Programme Technical Meeting: “The Train Control Dilemma”

12 October, London

The second technical meeting in our Presidential Programme series will be held on 12th October at the IET, Savoy Place, London, starting at 18.00 (refreshments are available from 17.30).

The speaker is Stuart Calvert, Head of Early Contractor Involvement in the GB Digital Railway Programme.  He will be speaking about “The Train Control Dilemma”.  The UK industry is witnessing dramatic increases in the cost of deploying modern train control and traffic management systems and this is weakening the business case for ongoing investment. Other transport sub-sectors have seen disruptive innovators make use of emerging technologies to make significant improvements in simplicity, convenience, accessibility, and affordability. How can the rail industry respond to this? How can we make effective use of disruptive technology? What are the implications if we do not?

All are welcome to come for what should be an informative presentation and lively discussion.

Click here for more details.

IRSE China Section: Technical Workshop

24 October, Xi’an, China

With the kind support and sponsorship of the 7th IEEE International Symposium of Microwave, Antenna, Propagation, and EMC Technologies (MAPE 2017), the IRSE China Section will be holding a technical workshop in terms of rail signalling and telecommunication technologies at Xi’an, Shaanxi Province on 24th October.  This technical workshop is free to IRSE members and non-members. To confirm your attendance, please register your intention (including your name, institution, contact) to join us by emailing: irse_china@yeah.net. For more details, click here.

ASPECT 2017

28-29 November, Singapore

Our 9^th ASPECT Conference will take place in Singapore in November.  The event will feature around 40 high quality technical papers selected from many more that were submitted.  They address the broad themes of the Conference, which also features a suppliers’ exhibition, optional additional days for Younger Members (27 Nov), technical visits (30 Nov) and an Australasian and Singapore Sections Seminar (1 Dec).  The event is being supported by the Institution of Engineers Singapore (IES).

More information is available on the IRSE website.  To view the Programme, click here, and click here to make a booking.

We have arranged good discounts for members wishing to stay at the Hilton Garden Inn Serangoon in Singapore. Click here for more details and the promo code.

CBTC Seminar

30 November / 1 December, Toronto

On 30^th November 2017 we are holding our second CBTC Seminar in Toronto (followed by a one day technical visit on 1^st December).  The event will feature:

1.         CBTC project descriptions and updates, including specifically Canadian projects currently being implemented or planned;

2.         The application of CBTC on LRT and commuter rail transit systems;

3.         Lessons learned in implementing CBTC in a brownfield environment;

4.         CBTC revenue service operating and maintenance experience;

5.         Looking to the future; what are the user business needs?  What research and development is currently underway on new/improved technologies?

Online booking is now open. Click here to for more details and to book.

Convention 2018

28 May – 1 June, Switzerland

The southern alps of Switzerland will be the venue for the IRSE’s Convention in 2018. Dates are 28 May to 1 June. The IRSE Swiss Section is organising Convention 2018 in cooperation with IRSE London office.

The central theme of Convention 2018 is Safety in Long Railway Tunnels. Some 300 guests from around the world are expected. We invite you to participate in Convention 2018 and experience both a fascinating technical program and some of the most splendid landscapes in Switzerland.

For more information, visit the Convention website: www.irsecon18.ch.

If you are thinking of participating, we recommend that you register your interest now – click here.

Mentoring Scheme

In case you had forgotten (or never knew!) our Mentoring Scheme continues to be available for members who want help with their professional or career development. Most people benefit from having someone to help and support them manage their learning so that they can develop their skills and maximise their potential, particularly in the early stages of their career. The Scheme facilitates a managed relationship between the Mentor and the person being mentored (the Mentee) by helping them to step back from their daily work, reflect on and review their performance, and identify areas for improvement. More information about the Scheme is available on the IRSE website (irse.info/xfaps) – you will need to log-in to view it.

The following items will be of interest principally to members in Europe (including UK):

IRSE Scottish Section Annual Dinner and Lecture

9 November, Glasgow

The IRSE Scottish Section Annual Dinner, sponsored by SVM, is to be held on Thursday 9th November 2017. This is now firmly established as the largest annual rail industry event in Scotland, but still retains a friendly informal atmosphere with a mix of Corporate and Open tables. The dinner will be served at 8:00pm with guests assembling in the bar area from about 7.30pm following the lecture in the adjacent room (5.30pm start).

Continuing from previous years’ successful events, we are holding the dinner in the Marriott Hotel, Argyle Street, Glasgow. This will follow the November IRSE lecture on Low Cost Signalling by Graeme Christmas (NR) & Andy Stringer (Siemens).

Click here for further details and booking forms. If you have any queries please email: scottish.section@irse.org.

Younger Members’ Annual Seminar and Technical Visit:

Homogeneous Transport Systems

16^th – 17^th November, Newcastle, UK

The IRSE Younger Members’ section are pleased to announce that the 2017 Seminar will be held at the Newcastle College Rye Hill Campus on Thursday 16th November. The seminar will be followed by technical visits to the Nexus Tyne & Wear Metro and Newcastle College Rail Academy on Friday 17th November.

Newcastle is not the only city updating their transport network, and so how can regions ensure that their transport system is fit for the future and ensures connectivity within the region and between regions? The IRSE Younger Members are delighted to announce a range of speakers from projects and areas across the UK to discuss what is happening, and can be done to meet this challenge.

This year, the seminar will feature not just excellent presentations but will also include a signalling workshop with the aim of understanding signalling as a system, working together in teams to think outside of the box. Further information about this event is being finalised and will be released soon.

If you are interested in attending, please e-mail younger.members@irse.org, stating whether you will be attending the seminar, technical visit or both.

Minor Railways Section: Technical Seminar

18 November 2017, Kidderminster, UK

The sixth technical seminar of the IRSE Minor Railways Section will be held at the Kidderminster Railway Museum, located at the Kidderminster Seven Valley Railway Station, Worcestershire on the above date. This meeting will be a continuation of the successful events held bi-annually since 2009, the theme this year is – “New technology applied to Minor Railways”, the day will concentrate on the management and implementation of new technology and its application on Minor Railways. Click here for more details and booking arrangements.

Also at the Seminar will be the presentation of this year’s award of the Section’s “Minor Railway S&T Technician of the Year” award – nominations are still being accepted (click here for more details about making nominations).

Systems Engineering Seminar: Call for papers and presenters

19 April 2018

Following our highly successful joint seminar with INCOSE/IRSE last year on Systems Engineering for Signalling, we are holding a successor event on 19 April 2018, at the University of Birmingham (UK).

This time we are planning to concentrate on one aspect of Systems Engineering and explore its impact on the wider railway industry, not just signalling. The subject we have chosen for the seminar is the application of Requirements Management for railway projects and we are seeking papers and presentations on this subject.

If you are interested in presenting a paper at this Seminar or would like more information about the event, please contact Karl King (karl.king@wspgroup.com).

UK Local Sections Programme

The Programme of events for the UK Local Sections has now been published – click here to view it (you can also access it via the UK Sections page).