IRSE News 150 Nov 09.pdf

IRSE MATTERS
Correction to Printed Programme Card
Please note that the IRSE conference/seminar on "INESS, Halfway Through The Project" will take place on
Tuesday 23 February 2010, not 23 March 2010 as stated shown in the UK Programme of Meetings card
circulated to all members in September.
The IRSE is Alive and Kicking at the Bottom of the World
The local New Zealand Group of the Australasian Section of the
IRSE held a Technical Meeting in the capital city of Wellington,
on Monday 21 September. The meeting was a joint meeting
with the Railway Technical Society of Australasia and was held at
The Wellesley Hotel, not far from the historical Port Area of
Wellington.
Nobody probably worked out that there was a connection
(albeit slight) between the Hotel and Railways. The Hotel started
life as a Gentleman’s Club in the early days of Wellington and
was named after Lord Wellesley, better known as The Duke of
Wellington who happened to be Prime Minister of the UK at that
time. It was whilst acting in this role that the Duke was a
bystander in the first death on a railway, namely the accident
involving Hutchinson, MP for Liverpool, on the opening day of
the Liverpool and Manchester railway. I guess that not many
New Zealanders were aware of this before the meeting! (Of
course, Wellington itself was named after the illustrious man – I
suspect that most New Zealanders were aware of this fact).
There were four speakers at the meeting presenting two
technical papers and an IRSE recruitment paper.
The first speaker was Allan Neilson Traction and Electrical
Engineering Manager, KiwiRail Network, who spoke of the role of
the IRSE both in Australasia and in the rest of the world. Allan
illustrated his recruitment drive to non-members with pictures
and slides of various technical conventions and literature that was
available and generally talked about the advantages of being a
member. Allan also stated that he had a good number of
application forms available with him and any visitors who would
like to know more were welcome to approach him after the
papers were finished. (It was not known how many signed up
afterwards – no doubt we will learn in due course!)
The second and third speakers presented a join paper
“21 st Century Signalling and Train Control Technology for the
Electrified Auckland Rail Network”. They were John Skilton
Signals and Telecommunications Engineering Manager, KiwiRail
Network and James Clendon, Engineer’s Representative –
Signalling, Auckland Electrification Project, KiwiRail Network.
The presentation covered the original requirement for the
electrification and resignalling of the Auckland area and why the
final system of 25 kV traction was chosen. The Authors also
explained the decision to fit ATP using the European ETCS level 1
system.
The Auckland area was also the first part of New Zealand’s rail
network to use a slightly different form of signalling aspects and
illustrated in great detail how they were to be used. The form of
Train Control that was going to be used was explained and
included the interesting fact that although there was a local
centre in Auckland, provision had to be made to allow the
National Centre in Wellington to take control as well. The site for
the control of the Traction System was not yet decided although
in the long term it was hoped that the Auckland system would be
extended to join up with the North Island Main Trunk 25 kV
System at Hamilton.
Interior of Wellington Station SB showing the Westinghouse Style “L” Frame
The control VDU for Distant Junction is seen at the end of the SB
The control desk for Distant Junction being explained to Robin Mitchell, retired
Signal Design Engineer from New Zealand Railways Corporation
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IRSE NEWS | ISSUE 150 | NOVEMBER 2009