IRSE NEWS

The December 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:

§  Strategic drivers of change in the signalling industry

§  What can cab signalling ever do for us?

§  Control and communications reliability

§  Thirty years ago…

§  By train to Beijing and back

Presidential Programme Technical Meeting: “What follows GSM-R?”

6 December, Birmingham, UK

The third technical meeting in our Presidential Programme series will be held on 6^th December at the IET Conference Centre, Austin Court. BIRMINGHAM (UK), starting at 18.00 (refreshments are available from 17.30). The speakers are Clive Kessell and Paul Darlington.

GSM-R has been in existence since 1992 and is now outdated technology.  In this presentation the authors will describe the process of adopting GSM as a standard, together with a brief outline of the disparate radio systems that existed before. The paper will provide an overview of 4G/5G/Wi-Fi, what a successor to GSM-R could look like, together with the challenges faced by the rail industry in adopting a new communications system.  All are welcome to come for what should be an informative presentation and lively discussion. Click here for more details.

Netherlands Section: 10^th Anniversary celebration and

Presidential Programme Technical Meeting

25 January, Utrecht, Holland

On 25^th January 2018 the Netherlands Section of the IRSE will celebrate the 10^th Anniversary of its formation, with a special Presidential Programme meeting and dinner in Utrecht, Holland.

The event will take place at the Dutch Rail Museum in Utrecht (www.spoorwegmuseum.nl), starting at 15.00 and finishing at 21.30.  The event includes a technical paper by Andrew Simmons (Chief Systems Engineer, Digital Railway, UK) as part of the Presidential Programme series.  There will also be an Address by our President, Peter Symons, as well as a celebration of the success of the Netherlands Section and a tour of the museum.

The technical paper is on the subject of the Potential effects of Brexit on railway signalling and communications. Whilst political discussions are currently addressing many of the complex issues associated with the UK leaving the EU, of equal importance to both the UK and EU are the post Brexit arrangements.  The paper sets out how the legal and standards framework within the EU currently operates, and explores those areas that could be impacted by Brexit and managed in a post Brexit era. The paper also introduces the concept of a Digital Railway Systems Authority within the UK and how this is proposed to operate whilst UK remains in the EU and how it might need to change following Brexit.

All IRSE members are very welcome to attend the Anniversary events. The presentations and tour are free, however there is a charge of 85 euros for the dinner and limit on the numbers of people who can attend it.  For more information, click here.

If you wish to attend the presentations, or the dinner, or both, please email Tom Spronk (Penningmeester@irse.nl) with your request.

IRSE Convention 2018

28 May – 1 June, Switzerland

Booking is now open for the IRSE’s 2018 Convention, taking place from 28 May to 1 June in Switzerland.  The central theme of Convention 2018 is Safety in Long Railway Tunnels, and we have a full and varied programme to offer IRSE members and their guests/partners. The Convention is based at two locations, starting at Lugano and moving later in the week to Pontresina.

This is a superb opportunity to see the Swiss railways, and in particular to understand how safety is ensured through signalling and other systems in the long tunnels for which the Swiss are renowned. A core highlight of Convention will be a visit to the 57-km Gotthard Base Tunnel, which opened in 2016. It is the longest railway tunnel in the world and one of the great engineering projects of the 21st century. The design, planning and construction of the GBT and the 35-km Lötschberg Base Tunnel, which opened in 2007, have established Switzerland as a world-class centre of competence for building and operating railway tunnels of extreme length.

Booking forms for the event and for hotels are available on the IRSE website. We recommend that you book as soon, as there is a limit on how many people can attend.  As with previous Conventions, we are offering a limited number of bursaries to younger members, to help pay the cost of attending – an application form is available on the website.

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

Nominations for Council

In early January we shall be inviting corporate IRSE members (Associate Members, Members, Fellows) to make nominations for the vacancies that will arise on the IRSE Council in April 2018.  Before then, you might like to think whether there is anyone you wish to nominate.  The present members of Council are listed on the IRSE website.

IRSE and Institution of Engineers Singapore to collaborate

At the IRSE’s ASPECT Conference at the end of November, the IRSE and the Institution of Engineers Singapore (IES) signed a Memorandum of Understanding, committing the two organisations to work together in supporting the professional development of engineers in the region. The signing took place at the opening of ASPECT, being held in Singapore.  Peter Symons, President of the IRSE, and Edwin Khew, President of the Institution of Engineers Singapore, signed the MoU in front of an audience of over 200 delegates.  The MoU commits the organisations to collaborating on events, exploring opportunities for mutual recognition of qualifications and for using the IRSE's Licensing Scheme in Singapore, developing training course, and publishing educational material.

IRSE Southern African Section: CPD recognition

The IRSE Southern Africa Section has been successful in its application for recognition as a Voluntary Association by the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA).  This provides advantages and opportunities for IRSE members residing in South Africa, as well as being an important step forward for the IRSE.

As a result, the IRSE is now recognised by ECSA as a CPD Provider and IRSE members in South Africa can accumulate CPD points by attending technical meetings and visits, seminars and workshops organized by the IRSE, as well as by presenting technical papers directly linked to the profession.  These CPD points can count towards professional registration with ECSA.

Papers/Presentations from ASPECT and from the CBTC Seminar

At the end of November we held our ASPECT Conference in Singapore and our CBTC Seminar in Toronto.  Both events were completely sold out, and they proved to be highly successful.  We will be making the papers from ASPECT and the presentations from the CBTC Seminar available to IRSE members on the website soon.

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

Making a Success of the Digital Railway

17^th January, London

With assistance from WSP, the IRSE has run a series of workshops over the past year on the “Digital Railway”, exploring the challenges of implementing systems such as ETCS, ATO, Traffic Management etc on Britain’s national rail network.

We have now published a White Paper titled “Making a Success of the Digital Railway”. The paper considers seven key themes relating to the implementation of the latest generation of digital train control and communications technology on Britain’s railways.

The publication of the White Paper will be followed by an event on the evening of 17^th January in London where the paper and the issues it raises will be discussed.  Mark Carne, Chief Executive of Network Rail, and David Waboso, Managing Director of the Digital Railway Programme, will speak at the event.  More details will be available soon on the IRSE website and via social media. You will need to register if you wish to attend, as this event is likely to be very popular and places are limited.

Click here for more information about the White Paper and to download a copy.

Our first London and South East UK event:

“Encouraging Engineering: Reinvigorating the S&T Approach to STEM”

25 January 2018

We are making good progress with setting up a London and South East UK Section.  And before it is formally established, we are holding a first meeting for members in this part of the UK. 

The meeting (on 25^th January in central London) will feature a presentation and demonstration by Alex Patton (Siemens) of his Raspberry Pi railway, designed to help young people understand what railway signalling is all about.  Alex’s project takes a new approach to teaching programming, electronics and computing to young people through solving challenges of the signalling industry. 

Although the model is aimed at young people, this meeting is for everyone, regardless of age! Details of how to register will be available shortly – click here.  The meeting will be followed by a social time.

Minor Railways Section: Technical Visit to the Nene Valley Railway

17th March 2018, near Peterborough (UK)

With the kind permission of the Nene Valley Railway (NVR), the IRSE Minor Railways Section have arranged a technical visit to the Nene Valley Railway, starting and finishing from their Peterborough (Nene Valley) station. There is a registration fee of £45.00 per delegate for the visit, with a buffet luncheon included. The visit is limited to 40 places, with priority given to members. Registration closes on the 1st March 2018. Click here for more details and to register.

Requirements Management for Systems Engineering

19 April 2018, Birmingham UK

We are holding a Seminar on 19 April 2018 on the subject of Requirements Management, at the University of Birmingham (UK). Make a note in your diary! The day is expected to include:

ü Workshop on what makes a good requirement

ü Requirements Management on HS2 Mainline North

ü Innovation Using Goal Structuring Notation

ü Requirements of the EULYNX Project

ü Requirements Management of GRIP 5-8 Projects

ü How to Sabotage a Project Using Requirements Management

More information will be available soon, including how to book – click here.