Proceedings 2002/2003 - IRSE

SYDNEY HOSTS 2002 CONVENTION 115
circuit breakers at other sub-stations and feeder
points.
Members then walked a short distance to the New
South Wales SRA building where the Rail Coordination
Centre (originally set up for the Sydney
Olympics) was inspected and the operation
explained. Additionally, a presentation was given on
“Condition Assessment System and Train Control
Reporting as Applied to Signalling and Communications
Infrastructure”. This system has been
developed to assist Asset Managers understand the
condition of their infrastructure and hence be able to
forecast more accurately the need for future
renewals and upgrades.
Rejoining the buses, members then travelled to
the NSW Roads & Traffic Authority (RTA) Transport
Management Centre at Redfern. Here, by means of
numerous CCTV cameras, the road network is
monitored 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week
throughout the year. Detector loops are provided
within the roadways to determine the traffic flows
and the data is used in conjunction with the traffic
light management system to optimise traffic flows
and incident management. Public information
services were highly important with real time broadcasts
provided to the bus radio network, local radio
stations, police and the RTA website.
On the conclusion of the visit to the RTA centre,
members continued by bus to Sydenham to inspect
the new signal control room. On arrival a presentation
was given on the “Botany Line Resignalling
Project”. This utilises computer-based interlocking,
LED signals/indicators with control and command
from the control room. The new control room at
Sydenham was provided with overview screens
constructed using back projection LCD technology
with operator workstations utilising VDU and
keyboard.
The Convention Reception and Dinner was held as
usual during the evening and, following an excellent
meal, the President rose to give his closing address.
He commented on the week’s activities from the
Tuesday technical conference which gave rise to
“Food for Thought” for everyone, through Thursday
with the first ever visit to a rolling stock manufacturer
during an Annual Convention, to Friday with a
visit to the Road Traffic Management Centre. None
of this would have been possible without the
considerable support and sponsorship from the UK,
European and Australian companies. He went on to
thank the Australian Organising Committee for all
their hard work in making the Convention superb. He
then invited his wife Carol to sum up the guests’ programme,
which included thanks to the guides, and,
in conclusion, asked Colin Porter (Senior Vice-
President) to give a flavour of the programme for the
2003 Convention to be held in the UK centred on
Birmingham.
Colin then outlined the proposed programme
which included the West Coast Route Modernisation,
the new high-speed Channel Tunnel Rail Link
and a day in York.
With everyone having sampled rail travel in and
around Sydney, Howard Lacy prevailed upon the
assembled group of “railway experts” to complete a
survey questionnaire on the services of the SRA,
each questionnaire being entered into a prize draw.
Two lucky winners received a magnum of wine each.
This concluded the formal part of the evening so
as the band played and the dancing began,
members and guests bade farewell to friendships
old and new made during the week.
In summary, yet again an excellent Convention
had been enjoyed by everyone and one which
allowed participants to sample the differing
technologies employed in solving the increased
expansion of rail services within NSW. The worldwide
problems of continuing training, development
and knowledge transfer were again highlighted in the
ongoing privatisation and fragmentation of the rail
Industry. It is through the IRSE Convention, conferences,
discussion and networking opportunities
that these problems will be addressed, hopefully, on
a global basis to the benefit of the industry and the
profession.
I hope you will be encouraged to participate in
future conventions so I will leave you with a thought:
Put the date of the 2003 Convention in your diary
NOW: Birmingham 26th–30th May 2003.
See you there!
D A Edney
The RTA Transport Management Centre is fitted with an
impressive video wall viewed here from the visitors’ gallery
Photo: H
Adrian Exer tries out one of the workstations at the new
Sydenham Control Centre. Part of the video wall overview
can be seen in the background. Photo: H