Proceedings 2002/2003 - IRSE

118
Much Better Engineer
Signal Engineer and IRSE member Dennis Howells
was awarded an MBE (Member of the British Empire)
in the Queen’s Birthday Honours on 15th June this
year for “Services to the Railway Industry”. In
addition to being a life-long railwayman, Dennis has
been a leading figure in the railway preservation
scene, being the proud owner of his own GWR
steam locomotive – a Hawksworth Pannier Tank No.
9466.
Dennis, who now works for Railtrack, is the holder
of a Senior Engineer’s Licence and is the fourth
current member of the IRSE to be honoured with an
MBE. Other recipients are Roy Bell, Dr Alan
Cribbens and Charles Hudson. Don Heath and
Victor Smith bear the honour of OBE.
Starting as an apprentice S&T engineer (probationer)
in 1955 with the London Midland Region
of British Railways, Dennis joined the CS&TE
modernisation depot at Levenshulme in Manchester
following his training. Here he worked on the
immunisation of Heaton Norris and Stockport Nos. 1
and 2 signalboxes for the electrification to
Manchester and on stagework at Manchester
Piccadilly.
Stagework became a specialism for Dennis in
subsequent roles, at Trent during the introduction of
the new Power Box in 1968 and then back in London
from 1969 as Special Duties Sub-Inspector and later
District Inspector at Kentish Town. This was followed
by Works Supervisor on the Willesden and Bedford
Divisions, a highlight of this period being the time
spent working with Jim Hitchen on the Bedpan
(Bedford – St Pancras) resignalling stagework.
Promotion continued through Works Supervisor
and Maintenance Engineer positions on the LMR
before he took up the post of S&T Engineer (General)
for Network South East South Central in 1992. Upon
privatisation Dennis moved into Railtrack, firstly as
Testing & Commissioning Manager for Southern
Zone, then as Lead D&C Engineer East Anglia. He is
now Asset Signal Engineer West Coast Main Line
South.
Exam Study Group Facilitators
More Study Groups than ever are in operation this
year to assist members in mutual study towards
undertaking the IRSE Examination. If you wish to join
one of these groups please contact the facilitators
listed below:
AUSTRALASIA: Queensland
Peter Stringer, Union Switch & Signal Pty Ltd,
PO Box 1168, 39 Harvey Street, Eagle Farm,
Queensland 4009 Australia
Tel: +61 7 3868 9333 Fax: +61 7 3268 2136
Email: stringerp@switch.aust.com
Open to all IRSE members
HONG KONG
Steven Cho, MTRC, MTR Tower, Telford Plaza,
Kowloon Bay Hong Kong
Tel: +852 2993 2111 Email: stcho@mtr.com.hk
Open to all IRSE members
THAILAND
Eddie Murphy, Bombardier Transportation,
33541619, 6th Floor, Manorom Building,
Rama 4 Road, Klongton, Klongtoey, Bangkok 10110
Tel:+66 2 672 8290 Ext 373 Fax: +66 2 671 7597
Email: eddie.murphy@th.transport.bombardier.com
Open to all IRSE members
LONDON: Canary Wharf
Peter Clifford, LUL, 4th Floor,
30 The South Colonnade, Canary Wharf,
London E14 5EU
Tel: 020 7308 2963 (0678 62963)
Fax: 020 7308 2630 (0678 62630)
Email: Peter.Clifford@ibcv.co.uk
Open to all IRSE members
LONDON: Croydon
Jim Bull, Westinghouse Rail Systems Ltd,
PO Box 407, Floor 10, Southern House,
Wellesley Grove, Croydon CR9 1XN
Tel: 020 8760 9355 Fax: 020 8760 9456
Email: jim.bull@invensys.com
Open to all IRSE members
NORTH WEST: Manchester
Matthew Lupton, Railtrack North West,
Rail House, Store Street, Manchester M60 7RT
Tel: 0161 228 8066 Fax: 0161 228 8001
Email: luptonm.railtrack@ems.rail.co.uk
Open to all IRSE members
PLYMOUTH
Andy Moore, Bombardier Transportation,
Estover Close, Estover, Plymouth PL6 7PU